


Ashes to Diamonds

by Xoverdude



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Alternate POV'S, F/M, Hopefully some good humor, Maybe some angst in later chapters, Some Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 17:47:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4844708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xoverdude/pseuds/Xoverdude
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With nine years of their lives gone, the remnants of Mother Base seek vengeance on the man who took it all from them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I skipped the prologue, because its very scripted and you probably know everything that happened there already. Starting at chapter two, saving Kaz.

Its been a little over a week. I've only been getting worse over time. Seemed like a regular operation, hell it probably was one of the easiest we had gotten. Training some guys to fight. No risk, and a secure payout. Until those fuckers came by.

The battlefield turned into a scene like one of those Japanese animes. Mist enveloped the humid country, concealing the shape of the approaching humans. They walked like zombies, shambling on two legs that looked like they were getting dragged by their torso. Glowing masks that gave away their position. They jerked around clumsily, like a trooper who'd had a little too much to drink, unarmed. 

We told them to stop moving. We were civil(at least as civil as you could get in Afghan). We warned them we would open fire if they didn't stop moving. They didn't listen. We didn't warn them twice.

Suddenly three of them stood up straight, pulling rifles from their hands(Right out of their palms) while the last one charged Wolf. That thing moved like a blur; it buried its blade in the veteran's chest. He went down quickly, blood spurting. 

The other three fired at Raven. He was a big Irish guy, survived countless Ops for years with the scars to show it. The initial burst left him mangled, on his knees, with his Desert Eagle in his grip. 

I still remember when he got it. Remembered when he had it engraved with his Brother's initials: D.H., though I had already forgotten what that stood for. 

He fired shot after shot at them, bullets making their bodies jerk around like grotesque puppets, but that was all it seemed to do. The same one who practically eviscerated Wolf charged the soldier, who even kneeling was nearly as tall as his attackers. I didn't see the blade connect. I just heard the explosion that followed. Seemed he took one with him.

We were down to five guys, soon reduced to three as two of my brothers-in-arms got decapitated by blades. One man, a short Asian wearing glasses who looked more like a teacher than a soldier, aimed his shotgun at a marauder that closed the distance. He fired twice, twenty-four pellets striking the monster's head in quick succession. Blood came out, the helmet crumpled. It was dead. He gave me a thumbs up before reloading his Sawed-off. 

One of them charged me, but Fox got in between us. She took the blow to her chest full-force, sending her crumpling into me. Her helmet struck the exposed part of my own, blood flowing from my nostrils. Black spots danced in my vision. Just before losing consciousness, I saw Hideo, the last man in my squad, get dragged away by one of them. He was still screaming,right arm bent at an angle arms were not known for. I passed out.

*******

I would say I was lucky, but losing seven of my best troops(and some of my best friends) made me feel anything but. Still, the search party arrived in the nick of time.

***** 

It turned out it wasn't a very friendly search party. More like a salvage team. And I was the loot.

First day, they wanted my name. They didn't get it.

Second day, same thing. Same answer. 

Third day, brought a knifeman. He didn't make it.

Fifth day. Arm was starting to get sore. 

7 days passed. A guy in a beret dropped by. Asked me who I worked for. How much they were willing to pay for me. I spat on him. He sliced my leg off. It hurt like hell.

9 days. Leg was starting to smell. Not good. Hope the Dogs get here in time.

9 days, 12 hours. Another "Interrogation" session. Knifeman took my arm. I tried to do the same to him. Wasn't as successful. Still, he must be missing his pinky. 

11 days. They threw something at my eyes. It smelled like piss. Probably was piss. But I'm not sure. All I can see are blurs. 

11 days and God knows how long later, I wanted to die. My arm and leg, they were goddamn-tree stumps. My vision wasn't getting any better. I wanted to sleep. To go back to Mother Base and have some homemade curry. To sleep in a long, hard bed. To hold a rifle in my hands. Anything but this. 

The door swung open. 

Footsteps. Soft ones. 

Rescue? Or did they decide to finish me off 

Either way, I would be getting out of here. 

Then I heard a voice. It sounded American. 

"Kaz?" 

It sounded foreign. Not as gruff as it used to be. Like he quit smoking. This wasn't like him, but 9 years was more than enough time to break a habit. 

"Is it really you?" I asked. He didn't sound like him, but the silence of his footsteps betrayed experience. Something I sincerely doubted these bimbos had. (All they seemed to know was which side of the gun fired) 

He seemed to nod; it was hard to catch. 

Something, probably his hand, swung over my face. 

"Did they do something to your eyes?" He asked, concerned. Wish I could have seen it. 

"No," I lied, "Just.. bright is all." The light being on was the only thing I was sure of. 

He unlocked my handcuffs. "Let's get out of here." He spoke gruffly. I nodded, rubbing my chaffed wrist. He hefted me on his shoulders. 

He seemed to be wearing a cheap civilian outfit. I couldn't smell the rubber of his normal sneaking suit. 

As we walked out, a guard turned toward us. He raised his hands immediately, in surrender to the gun I didn't see Snake had drawn. 

"Who did this to him?" He questioned, coldly. The soldier seemed to shudder. Who wouldn't with Boss pointing a gun at you? He wouldn't miss. 

"The..." He hesitated, just long enough to make my comrade point his gun at his crotch. That got him. " Ivan. He's out on guard duty, by the machine-gun." 

"Get down." He ordered. The grunt followed. They seemed to like obeying orders, even if they weren't always from their CO. "Hum a song. If you try to get up you'll hit the ground before you see the sky." The soldier nodded weakly, hands on his head. 

He whistled. A white horse walked into my view. 

He carefully placed me on its rear. Then he spanked its ass. It went running, me shaking behind(literally) it. 

***** 

It was a boring day for Ivan. Guard duty at night was known to do that to a man. He simply stood by the weapon emplacement, staring at the beast. He had personally seen her tear a man in half with a single burst. When she was particularly bloodthirsty all that would remain of their opponents would be entrails and red mist. 

And it turned out to be bad time for him to be stuck in his own thoughts. 

A muscular hand, followed by an arm just as thick coiled around his neck like a snake, followed by a blow to his leg that left him kneeling on the ground. 

The arm coiled tighter around his windpipe, deriving him of energy. He could see spots in his vision. Black, fluttering, like butterflies. He struggled. 

The arm's grip loosened. A gruff voice broke the silence. "What is your name?" 

"I...van." I stammered, the grip choking his words as well as his throat. 

"Did you learn anything from the prisoner?" The man asked. 

"Not..yet.. I was.. not the one... questioning him." 

The grip went tighter, almost making him black out then and there. "Who?" 

"Can't... speak.." 

The grip slackened a little 

"Abram. He was one messed up mudak. Cut him up. More cuts than beef at a butcher's." 

"Where do I find him?"

"Inside building. Same one prisoner was kept in. 

The voice cursed. A fancy English one he didn't understand. "Thank you." He spoke softly. 

The grip suddenly tightened. It didn't let up. The last thing he remembered was a whisper from his attacker. "Sleep." 

***** 

I was literally lying on a horse's ass. Granted, it was a nice horse, but 10 minutes of getting swatted by its tail was beginning to annoy me. Hope the Boss hurried up. I've done enough waiting. 

Suddenly something peeked out in the darkness. Ended as quick as it started, but it happened. Light. Probably from the muzzle flash. A silencer wouldn't stop that, and it would be easy to spot at night. I heard footsteps again, getting louder the closer they came. I wish I could at least fight back! They took my arm, my leg. My eyes. I couldn't fight. I was goddamn useless! 

Then I heard a grunt. It was Snake. Didn't change anything though. If things went down, I would be a liability. Kazuhira Miller, Mother Base's XO, Damsel-in-distress. 

"Taken care of." Was all he said. I nodded. It was unneccesary, but appreciated. Showed me he still had my back. He mounted the horse. 

He turned and stared right at me. He looked, well, weird. Like he was trying to tell me his thoughts with facial expressions alone. Then he spoke. Four little words. Made my day. 

"Kept you waiting, huh?"

***** 

You probably don't know my name, but I'm sure you know of me. Big B calls me Pequod. Don't know why he's so into Moby Dick, but I play along. It's a job. 

We have the man himself not a dozen meters away from me, as well as Master Miller. Those Russians really did a number on him. Boss had to carry him onto the plane. He lost a lot of blood in there, so we hooked him up to a blood bag after we reached a stable altitude. 

Big Boss made me change LZ's, for some reason. Said he had a hunch. So I dragged my shiny metal ass a few hundred meters up. Thankfully I hadn't touched down yet, so it was easy to relocate. 

Not sure if his hunch paid off, or I just wasted time. Guess I'll never know. 

The man himself looked lean and mean. Eyepatch and an honest-to-goodness horn on his head. Rifle on his back, though I knew he could draw it quicker than the revolver on my side. And, just, an air to him. The kind that made you wanna salute him all day or go on one-sided sparring sessions if it meant he got his hands on you. 

Exactly as Master Miller described him. Wish I could have met him in his prime. Not to say he still couldn't kick my ass with both leg tied behind his back. 

Just half an hour before touchdown at Mother Base 

I bet they couldn't wait to see it.


	2. Back in the Game..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Miller back on their team, Snake sheds his cover for his first actual operation since Camp Omega: Eliminating the Spetnaz commander....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Which... was easier said than done...

The man himself took his first steps on his new home. 

Big Boss looked just as badass as the stories pegged him, rifle on his back and a horn on his head (How the hell was he still alive?) His outfit was dusty, and the chest area was smeared with blood; probably not his own. 

All in all, the kind of guy Mother Base needed. 

He looked around, lone eye taking in details more efficiently than the pair of my own. 

"Welcome back, Boss." I said enthusiastically, raising my hand in salutations. 

He turned to look at me, almost confused. I maintained my pose. 

In the US military, or most Armed Forces for that matter, we were trained to salute our superiors, only relaxing once they saluted back. I waited; so did he. 

I was starting to feel the strain in my arm. I really wanted to rest it, but for all I knew this guy could be just like the commander. It wasn't a risk I was willing to take. 

Just when I thought I couldn't keep my arm up, Ocelot called his attention. He turned towards the cowboy. 

I lowered my sore arm. 

They talked for a while. I couldn't make out about what, but it didn't matter; it wasn't in my place to eavesedrop. I did see Ocelot hand him a parcel. 

Then just like that, the conversation was over. 

He walked back towards me; I saluted again. 

"Train with me, Boss." I asked him. I immediately regretted my decision. 

I felt his metal arm connect with my face, quickly followed by a swift kick and another punch. I couldn't even react. A final punch made the world go dark... 

***** 

By try it out on the staff, I didn't mean beat the crap out of the men. Snake had a perfectly good tranq pistol on hand. Still, it'd already been done. 

"Still remember how that thing works, Boss?" I hollered Strange. My accent felt so natural now, even though years before I spoke the same way as my countrymen on the battlefield. 

He nodded. Snake was a lot less chattier than he was before. 

And just like that, Growling Dragon went up into the stratosphere. Screaming, I might add. 

I REALLY hoped he wouldn't quit. Or ask for hazard pay. We couldn't afford any more expenses. 

***** 

Been a while since I've done some actual wetwork. The last time I had to do something like this was... well.. almost a couple decades ago. Actually, it was. Exactly twenty years ago. I didn't feel right. I remembered everything, but it seemed... off. Foreign, like I was remembering what I read instead of what I lived.

The doctor at the new Mother Base told me it would happen. Something about dissociative memories.

Couldn't waste time thinking about it now.

"Be careful down there, Boss." Pequod called over the comms system, before taking off into the night sky.

I mounted my horse and set on towards the objective.

*****

It was a nice night for Alexi. Not as nice as those back at home, of course. But for the barren country, it was beautiful. Majestic, even. He wished he could have spent his shift just watching the night, rather than keeping his eyes glued on the harsh, angled rock.

"Bored, aren't you, Alei?" His commander, Gavriil, questioned, his blood-red beret stood up just as proffesionally as its wearer. He replied with a curt nod.

He didn't find the nickname amusing. He had to live with it for seven years. Still, he returned a smile.

They had known each other for about six months, two of which was spent here in the scorching countryside.They did not start out as brothers-in-arms. Simply comrades. Ones who fired at what you fired on; who slept where you slept. Then came the ambush at the Wahk Barracks.

Insurgents came, blanketed in the cover of mist. His allies vanished, screaming. Bullets flew as bright white penetrated the blanket of vapor, both events finishing as abruptly as they started. Only they and a handful of others survived the battle, and only he and his friend survived the night.

He uncounsciously ran a gloved hand on his neck. The same side that was grazed by a very accurate bullet. A centimiter to the left, he would be mute; another, he would have been dead.

They simply conversed, reminiscing on old times. Better times, where they fought in their own land. And soon, time before the fighting. It was a decent way to pass the time.

*****

I watched. I waited. Lying prone on my stomach, rifle trained on my target's head. It took a while for his guard detail to finally leave him. Now, it was just him, and his friend. No one else would intervene. The guards on the towers were taking a nice, long nap. The guys on the ground would have been none-the-wiser.

He was still talking to his friend. I hope he would leave soon. Didn't want to leave any more bodies than I had to.

Leaving corpses behind you made sneaking-ops tougher; you had to drag them away or hide them out of sight. It was unnecessary, and frankly, it didn't sit well with me. Seeing all those ghosts down the river, walking with holes in their head. Or choking on their own blood. Some poor souls turned into walking jigsaws from getting caught in explosions. I didn't want to go through that again.

Actually, I might not have too

I opened my iDroid, scanning over the mission objective.

Eliminate the Commander

I let out a relieved sigh 

Contrary to popular belief, eliminate doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as kill. In the military, the word is more akin to "neutralize". All I had to do was make sure he never bothered my client again. And I had just the place to put him.

*****

_Clunk_

I raised my palm for silence. He stopped speaking almost immediately. I gestured for him to form up on me. He nodded. 

The sound came just a few steps away. Close enough to get to it before whatever made the noise could leave. Part of me didn't want to check it; some things were best left to the imagination. But soldiers couldn't shy away from fear; doing that meant embracing death. 

There was a lone patch of grass in the barren soil. The slight greenery had something sticking out. I reached to pick it up. 

The object was long and smooth, but blocky. Small ridges were along both sides, long and smooth, and it tapered into a gradual curve: a magazine.It felt natural to me, as it should in any soldier's palm. 

Casually discarded? Unlikely. Everything on the battlefield was built for many purposes. The placement felt deliberate. 

Just like the gun I found forced into my side. 

"Freeze" 

***** 

Gavriil made a good choice. 

Even with all the combat experience he had, there was no way he could fight him off _yet_. 

The _suka_ 's weapon was peculiar. The barrel was colored blue, similar to those toy guns American children are fond of, yet it was abundantly clear he was "not playing", as the children so fondly say nowadays. 

"Talk" the hidden man demanded, pushing the barrel into my back. Telling him something important was tempting, but I couldn't. CP's location was paramount to our chain of command. Losing them would cost lives. Lives worth more than my own if I made that choice. 

My comrade glanced at me, then gestured down with his head. _His sidearm_. 

I had nearly forgotten. He hadn't been frisked! Just keep the man occupied, Alexi, and don't panic. Gavriil might just get us out of this. 

"You will find," I paused dramatically, hoping the man was focused soley on me, "song playing in our camp." I heard Gavriil groan beside him. 

_What else could I have said? Hell, telling him where our toilets were would probably be considered treason from the the higher-ups!_

Surprisingly, I wasn't shot on the spot.

"Where?" The man asked. I blinked. Gavriil paused and turned to face me, confusion on his face. 

"On the table, in the cassette deck ." 

He seemed satisfied by my answer. 

"Where are your friends?" He asked again. 

I wasn't so willing to answer this question. 

"I'm not telling you shit." I answered bitterly. It was one thing to give up resources, another for your countrymen. Then I lunged. 

***** 

It happened so quickly. 

Alexi pulled out his knife. 

I pulled out my Burkov 

He attacked the horned man. 

I removed the safety of my pistol 

The horned man shot Alexi twice 

I aimed my pistol at the man's chest 

Alexi lay on the ground. 

The man grabbed me 

I was on my back, heavy boot at my throat. 

"You son of a bitch." I snarled. Alexi was my friend. A true brother on the battlefield. Now he was dead. And I couldn't even avenge him. 

"Relax,"The Demon said, "tranquilizer rounds. He down, not out." He holstered his pistol.Now it was a rifle barrel staring me down."

"Can't say the same for this gun. Feel free to call me out if you think I'm bluffing." He stated, though there was a trace of anger, maybe respect, in his tone. "Now, on your stomache." 

I eyed my sidearm. Just a few meters away, but I wouldn't make it before getting a few holes in my chest. 

"One..." he began 

I didn't know when he'd stop counting; I didn't want to find out what he would do. 

***** 

_My head...ugh..._

I opened my eyes, and I couldn't see anything. I panicked. 

I could feel the tip of a rifle on my exposed shoulder. 

" Make a move and you'll take a long dirt nap." A hoarse voice spoke. The weight left my body as he seemed to be searching for something. 

Just when I was ready to attack him again, he knocked me down. A swift kick to the head had me tasting blood. 

I could feel him attaching something to me. It felt fairly light, like the weight of a brick of plastic explosives. I remained motionless. 

A strange sound interrupted my thoughts, vaguely similar to a raft inflating. Then I was yanked off my feet, dangling a few meters of the ground. I had but a few seconds to warn my countrymen before I shot up into the sky like a Soyuz capsule. 

***** 

When I came to, I was bound to a hard bed. I could see the sky shifting outside the presumably bulletproof glass. 

I struggled for a second, fighting the bonds. All I did was chaff my wrists. Still, it was better than doing nothing. 

"Psst." A familiar voice whispered. I turned to face a familiar face 

Gavriil was lying in a bed next to me, wrist tethered to a steel pipe. The darker shade of color on the clothes on his lower body indicated he had urinated himself, and judging from the strong scent he wasn't the only one who did so. Still, he looked as determined as ever. 

"What's the plan?" I asked my CO, praying to every god that he had one. 

Why was I so worried? He always had a plan. Why should this time be any different. 

"We could..." He began, before being interrupted by the arrival of a single man. 

Not the man who kidnapped them, thankfully. This one looked like an American from the olden times, big Tan jacket and ammo band strapped on. He spoke like one too, but Alexi prided himself in knowing his countrymen, and this strange cat-like man was definetly from home. He didn't act like it, though. 

" I know y'all aren't here of your own volition," he drawled, "but Big Boss wanted you here for a reason." 

"Either you know something critical to expand our home" He looked at my friend, who somehow managed to look lethal in a soiled uniform 

"Or you actually managed to impress the living legend." He glanced at me. I tried to look indifferent. 

"Either way," he continued, "welcome to the soldier's paradise. 

My seatmate's ear perked up. 

"You people will always have a home here. You can fight for your own beliefs; for what you think is right. You will have no country. You will not spill your blood for soil that did not even realize you existed 'till you were needed. Never will we be puppets for a master, being discarded because we have elapsed our purpose." 

He smiled at us. "Today you have a choice: Join now," 

"Or?" I asked 

"Join later." He stated bluntly. At least he was honest. 

"So you are essentially enslaving us?"I spoke in my mother tongue. The red-scarfed man looked surprised. Then he began speaking, "I prefer to think of it as 'liberating'."

My friend cocked his head sideways at this 

"Do you have any idea why you guys are fighting here? Who you're really fighting. The things your government has done? The things it blames others for?" He questioned. His inquiry was met with silence. "We gave you a way out of the cycle of needless sacrifice your government was content to let you stew in." 

"Face it. You two were just tools. Here at least you know what you're fighting for. Who you're fighting. Why you're fighting them." 

Pointed at them, hands pantomining pistols pointed at them. The two soldiers simply looked on. 

"Welcome to the Diamond Dogs."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was more or less filler, but it set the stage for some of my OC's
> 
> Also, you guys get to name my first OC. As long as it's not crude I will consider it. Thanks for reading. Love you guys!


	3. C2W

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Featuring:
> 
> Punished "Venom" Snake
> 
> Benedict "Kazuhira" Miller
> 
> Revolver "Shalashashka" Ocelot
> 
> Featured Combatants
> 
> The Soviet Guards Airborne Regiment
> 
> Guest Staring
> 
> D "Diamond Dog" D
> 
> Growling Dragon
> 
> Shining "Enchilada" Echidna

Frankly, I was still a bit lightheaded from the mock battle with the Boss (Not really a battle, since I didn't dare touch him). My entire body was sore from the impromptu balloon flight I was given, but Intel didn't need you in tip-top physical condition to be at your best: just half a working brain sufficed.

The new recruits were being broken in at the Brig, with Major Ocelot and his stealth esteem team personally overseeing the process. At least that meant I wouldn't be the only guy on the scouting team.

"This is no time to be playing with animals." Our second boss, Master Miller, said. It took me a few seconds to pick up the faint yapping of a dog. A young one, judging from the pitch of its bark. 

"What are you gonna do?" 

The dog kept making noise

 _Bang_.

Even MB's XO was taken aback, slightly staggering to the crack of a gunshot. 

_Jesus, I knew he wasn't a saint, but why the hell would he do that?_

"Aroooooooo..." 

_What the fuck?_

"Have the support team standby for the extraction, Kaz.", the grizzled legend practically mumbled over the comms, reattaching the hollow barrel onto his tranquilizer pistol."No sense ruining a perfectly good supressor." 

I could have sworn I saw our XO let out a relieved sigh at the news. "Very well." He switched frequency with practiced ease. "Support team, standby for procured asset recovery." 

***** 

The equipment... in... building there..." The Soviet in my grip stammered out. He seemes brave, or at least reckless, trying to pull a fast one me just a few seconds before. Still, I could respect a man like that, and he could probably respect a merc like me. I choked him out and moved on; had to remember where to pick him up later. 

The comms post itself was pretty simple: just a small shanty with dozens of two-way radios stacked next to each other. No guards in the area, but there were cigarette butts on the ground. They'd be back for a smoke soon; I had to do this quickly. 

I grabbed a brick of C4 from my pack, placing it in between two radios. 

Then I decided against it. Stealth Ops shouldn't end in explosions, and Diamond Dogs neeed the reputation. 

I retrieved the plastic brick, then unscrewed my water canteen. I poured the contents over the sensitive electronics. It fizzled for a second, then the light winked out. 

Mission accomplished.

***** 

The Boss sent us a few new recruits, every single one of them still out cold from the extraction. We also got a few other things: A puppy(his paw pads are so soft!), some fuel, a few diamonds and... an honest-to-God brown bear. How he found that thing in the Afghan desert, I couldn't even guess. 

Predictably, no one dared approach bear. We had a guard prepped in case the thing woke up, who was currently aiming his rifle at the snoring beast. 

People with different specializations walked around collecting stuff, medics and soldiers eyeing the captured, while the base development team was collecting the fuel and animals and lugging the resources onto their jeeps. 

The prisoners(soon-to-be-coworkers, Ocelot assured us) were all sent to the brig, while the other assets were shipped off to the development platform. 

I wonder how Goose would react to the 300 pounds of fur and meat being delivered to them right now. Wish I could have seen his face. 

Officially, My codename is Shining Echidna, but my real name is Niobe, and I've been on Mother Base for two months now, one of the few who were already here before Big B came along. It was peaceful here, other than the few occasional Ops Miller sanctioned. Back then even the lone Command platform seemed huge. 

Now Mother Base was packed. We got more recruits in a day then we did over the course of last month. Maybe it was because people wanted to join the legend... 

...or because he kept kidnapping( _Sorry Boss, "procuring"_ ) staff from the battlefield. 

Either way, couldn't complain. At least I had other people to blame if I messed up.

I watched the video feed of Big Boss in action. He was definetly the stuff of legends. The guards didn't even know he was there. The only time the guards knew there was an infiltrator was when he had them by the throat. He didn't even touch his guns. It took him less than ten minutes to finish the mission, undetected, while still managing to procure enough resources for us to expand a platform. 

Hopefully he had his eyes set on us first. We really need more space on the support platform. 

***** 

When you think you've seen it all, Big Boss finds ways to surprise you.

In hindsight, I shouldn't have been too shocked. Hell, I remember a very interesting time back during the Peace Walker incident... 

My friend had gone into the woods in search of recruits, bringing a stun knife with him because his tranq pistol was being modified that day. The thing is, that day wasn't exactly a good day for him, having just returned from a very long battle with a squad of commandos, and he forgot to charge the blade, meaning he had what was essentially a very long paperweight on his person. As if Kojima decided to taunt the legend, four pairs of scouts wandered into his vicinity, and they decided to set up shop then and there, with pairs operating mere feet away from each other. 

It would have been difficult even with his regular gear, since scouts were a pain in the ass at the best of times. Add the fact that he was basically unarmed and unarmored, not to mention hungry, and you can see why he's a legend on the eyes of those on the battlefield. 

To this day I have no idea what he did, but we got eight highly-skilled soldiers that day. Big Boss himself returned soon after their arrival, none worse for wear, eating a banana. 

Still, it didn't prepare me for a goddamn grizzly bear Snake sent over. I REALLY hope he wasn't planning on eating it when he got back. It would make a hell of a deterent though... 

On the other hand, he really did find a lot of good stuff in the field. Those diamonds fetched a high price, and the fuel he got managed to bolster our resources just enough to expand the base. The puppy was taken in by our main "recruiter" Ocelot. 

An Ocelot training a wolf; even he must have seen the irony. 

"Boss," I said, "We have enough resources to begin expanding MB. Just tell us which one to prioritize." 

"RnD, Kaz." Was his Laconic answer. 

What happened to his dumb, chatty self? The one that thought that a cardboard tank was the pinnacle of stealth technology? 

_nine years... nine years happened._

He couldn't help but feel a yearning to the good old days back in Carribean: trying and failing to hit on Cecile, the feeling of his phantom limbs, training recruits in combat, training _female_ recruits, The infamous sauna fight. He missed every bit of it; nothing could get it back, though. He had to live with it. 

The best he could do was make Cipher regret it. 

And he'd be damned if he didn't go all out on that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos if you got the Peace Walker reference(s)


	4. The Box[1-3]

"You wanted to see me, Ocelot?"

The white-haired man nodded.

"Yeap. What's up with the cardboard box?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"It's the pinnacle of stealth technology."

Ocelot simply looked at the XO, perplexed.

"What?"

Miller sat down, exasperated. Time to make another skeptic see the light.

"What's your first thought that comes to mind when you see a cardboard box, cowboy?"

"There must be something inside." 

"Like what?" The Japanese man questioned

"Soldiers."

The one-armed man shook his head.

"No. You already know that. What would _they_ think? I mean the soldiers we're fighting. Months out in the scorching heat, with nothing to do but stare at the same rocks and sand over and over again?"

The ex-GRU Major shrugged. 

"Probably wouldn't even notice it."

"Exactly. The heat can play tricks on people, making them doubt what's there and what isn't. And even if they get spotted, the worst thing that happens is one guy checking what's inside. Everyone from Mother Base, from the greenhorns to Boss himself knows what to do if that happens. And it rarely happens."

"Still, kind of odd no one reacts much to a random box in the desert; sounds like something straight out of a video game."

"If you don't believe me, have a chat with the man himself."

"I'll do just that, Miller."

*****

"Boss."

"Yes, Ocelot. Something on your mind?"

"Your box."

"You mean this?"

"Yes. Why do you lug it around all the time?"

"It's gotten me out of a few sticky situations."

"Huh... how?"

"Remember Groznyj Grad?"

"....." 

"You snuck in wearing some guy's face... right? Boss?" 

"Partially. The scientists had no clue I wasn't who I was, but the guards were a different matter altogether. They hated the guy enough to know I wasn't him. So I improvised." 

"No...no way..." 

"The cardboard box is an essential tool of the trade..." 

"huh..." 

"Firstly, it gave me some protection from the jungle. You have any idea how many mosquitos there are in there? Dozens of bloodsuckers, just waiting to give me a shot of Malaria..." 

"Not possible..." 

"I stored my equipment and rations in there. Easier to carry in a box than a satchel..." 

( _garbled Russian_ ) 

"Then when I had to, I infiltrated the Colonel's base. As long as I didn't appear in anything out of place, people didn't even notice the moving box. I've always used... you ok there?" 

_thump_

"Ocelot? OCELOOOOOOOOOTTT!!" 

***** 

"How are you feeling, cowboy?" 

"Head hurts, Miller, thanks for asking. What happened?" 

He shrugged. "You were chatting with Big Boss, then you began rambling something we couldn't hear.You passed out for quite some time. Hyperventilation, the medical team's saying; nothing serious." 

"You know, Miller, I've been picking up some info. Diamond Dogs is getting a new reputation. Looks like the Soviets are referring to us as the 'Box People'." 

"Nothing wrong with that." 

The two turned to glance at their Boss, who was aptly named as such. 

"I guess so Boss... the problem is the enemy is starting to adapt. When they see boxes now, they shoot first before asking questions. Hunting Osprey is in the Medbay because of that new development." 

Silence 

"Remember that cardboard tank we had back then?" 

"Back when we were dealing with Hot Coldman? Yeah I think so." 

"What did the RnD team use for the chassis armor?" 

"2 inches worth of paper mache stacked over each other, forming a type of amor plate capable of withstanding limited small-arms fire for short durations." 

"I must be the only sane on here..." Ocelot mumbled. 

"Apply that to the standard cardboard box, and mass produce the results . We need to outfit our troops ASAP, or more people will start getting hurt." 

" That's... Genius Boss! Why didn't I think of that! The boxes we could have saved..." 

Ocelot rolled his eyes. Miller turned away from the conversation, putting a finger on his earpiece. 

"Miller to RnD team. Miller to RnD team. The development and application of paper mache plates to standard cardboard boxes is a priority task requested by The Boss HIMSELF! Halt development of everything else, even the Anti-Materiel rifle. We need the box done now, people!" 

"You guys take this way to seriously..."


	5. Lending a Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavriil gets to earn his codename...

It was an easy choice.

Join now or join later.

The Seychelles was not an unpleasant place to live. A day in the sea's breeze was better than a month of scorching sun. 

I was expecting torture: a bladed sociopath in a dark room.

We nearly got much, much worse.

A man in a duster greeted me and Alexi. He had a full head of glinting sliver, and wore dark leather gloves. Even without meeting the monster himself, you would have been deaf to not have heard of the _Shalashashka_.

He had a small pack on his person, and a bottle of water in the pocket.

_Probably to wash his hands once he was done with his victims_

I seriously considered assaulting the beast unarmed. Either I killed him or he killed me. Both options were more pleasant an end than what I was about to endure.

"I'll take it from here, Ocelot." 

The gunslinger turned to face the speaker, who was out of our view.

"The men need all the training they can get before curfew."

The "Ocelot" grunted, probably out of annoyance for being robbed of his prey. Still, he relented. 

Shalashashka left. A cripple entered.

He had only one of each limb, and I was certain that I could kill him if he did anything. That coat and crutch wouldn't do him any good in close quarters. 

He simply gazed at us. 

Then he tossed burgers on our laps.

They could have been poisoned, but dying to toxins were infinitely better than dying of hunger. We dug into them ravenously. 

"You like them?" The man with shades asked, staring blankly at our direction. We didn't reply. 

"Made them myself. We used real cow for the patties." 

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, not sure what his objective was, coming here just to feed us. My friend was halfway into his burger. 

"You're soldiers, just like us. Good ones at that, if you got the balloon treatment from Snake himself. We're mercs, not monsters." He paused. "How long have you served?" 

"Four years." 

"Do you have any idea why you were sent here?" 

"To serve my country." 

"Not in general. Why you were sent to Afghanistan. What you almost had to do until Big Boss freed you." 

"Clear an insurgent encampment." 

"Are you sure it was a rebel outpost?" 

"I trust my motherland" 

"But do you trust your government?" 

I hesitated. He took it as an answer. 

"Pawns, the both of you..." 

Insulted, I tossed the half-eaten burger at him. 

He swatted it out of the air with his crutch. Then he took a shot at my head. 

Unfortunately, he didn't miss. 

For a one-armed man, he had quite the swing. Before I could get up, the man's crutch was at my throat. 

"Face it, you two are expendable in this game. Just like we all were, once upon a time."

"I'm offering you freedom. Make your own moves; not those ordered around by politicians and bureaucrats." 

"Freedom is an illusion." Alexi muttered, finally breaking his silence. 

"Maybe it is," the Commander agreed,"but illusions are far better than what any country has offered us." 

He was making a decent point, though I still wanted to throttle him. 

He tapped his crutch along the ground, stopping on the fallen sandwich. He nudged it towards me the best he could. 

"Eat. You'll need your strength." 

I picked the burger up. It was still surprisingly clean. 

"Ocelot gave you two a choice, correct?" 

I simply nodded my head. 

"Tommorow is the last day to decide. I can't keep him of your backs any longer. For both our sakes, join us. Help us build a soldier's paradise." 

I ended the night feeling rebellious, though I changed my mind once morning came. Alexi did as well, thankfully. 

And now, here I am, fighting my former comrades. Hopefully I did not have to resort to my rifle. Alexi was sent to their science team. Figures: He always was a half-decent mechanic. Wish he could have joined me, though. 

It was tempting to try and escape, since I was but a few meters from a friendly outpost. That wouldn't work though. 

Before allowing me to leave, the man who spoke to me, "Miller", had me detained for surgery. A microbomb was grafted within me, and trying anything "funny" would net me an unpleasant end. I fail to see the humor in it. 

My former ally was lazily staring at soil, not noticing my poor attempt at stealth until I had him by the throat. 

I wondered if I looked like that the day the demon captured me: Standing around, staring at rocks. 

"Talk." I ordered. 

"I'm not telling you anything." 

I wish I could have congratulated him for his bravery. 

Instead I slashed his leg. This needn't be as messy as it has to be. 

"Don't make me do it again." I said. Hopefully, he would listen, and I didn't have to. 

"There are diamonds in the shack, ok?" He spat, sounding more annoyed than wounded. 

"Where are your comrades." 

"Kill me or release me, but do not waste my time with talk." 

"Alright." I pointed my sidearm at him. To his credit, he didn't flinch. I fired point blank. The dart struck his neck, and he was out. 

The other two were of no trouble. Within a minute, the outpost was clear. No Soviet blood on my hands, thank God. 

"Help." A shrill voice cried. 

I walked onwards. 

"Please." The cries were getting louder. 

"Help me." The voice was nearby, maybe in the shack. 

I shouldn't have been surprised with what I saw, but it was sickening. 

The prisoner had been bound, hands behind her back. The sleeves of her clothes were ripped off, and her chest was nearly as exposed. Bruises of different sizes were dotted along her body, including a particularly large one over her eye. 

I took a step forward; she tried to squirm backwards, but her body met a wall. She appeared to have met her breaking point. 

"GO AWAY." she started sobbing, all illusions of hope taken from her. 

My mother and father once prided themselves in my appearance. Tall and broad, light brown hair and piercing blue eyes. My jaw was set, my chin chisled. I was a handsome Russian child. 

Which was _definetly_ not helping my case. 

I raised my palms, showing myself unarmed. Her shivers slowed. I drew my knife to cut her bounds... 

And we were back to square one. 

"I'm not going to hurt you." I reminded her. She tried to control her trembling. Carefully, I sliced her bounds off. She rubbed her wrists for a second. 

She took a few cautious sips before drinking wholeheartedly, emptying the bottle. 

"Thank you." The blond whispered, handing back the canteen. "The soldiers around here are goddamn animals. I didn't know if I was ever getting out." 

I didn't have the heart to tell her I wasn't here to free her. The best I could do was make sure she could get away. 

I gave her my old sidearm. 

"Head south. Avoid the main roads, and keep to the grass. It should get you out of the country." 

"Can't I come with you?" She asked, pistol shaking in her grip. It was difficult to refuse. 

"I'm sorry, but if you go with me, we"ll both just be killed. Just go south, and maybe you can make it through the day." 

She looked ready to faint then and there, but I left before she could say anything else. I wanted to help her. 

But the mission comes first 

Time to rescue The Engineer.

***** 

The old codger was on my shoulder. He was heavy for such a thin man. 

I remember being dragged of the battlefield by a balloon. It was, though unpleasant, much better than lugging this pencil pusher around. 

Why didn't they send me out with those damn fultons? 

Hundreds of meters were between me and the pickup chopper, which naturally had to be on top of a cliff. If I got my hands on a ride... 

According to a soldier I questioned, there was a transport truck nearby. 

The outpost had half a dozen guys standing guard, the one's guarding the truck obviously being the only two wearing riot gear. My rifle couldn't break through both their suits with one clip, and the dart gun may as well have been firing pebbles for all their usefulness right now. I wasn't nearly ballsy enough to try punching them out. 

Explosives then. Lucky me, some idiot left a couple bricks of the good stuff in the warden's room. If I could just get close enough to stick one on their asses, I could knock them both down before they get a single shot off. 

For some reason, they didn't notice a burly, definetly not friendly soldier sticking plastic to their bums, nor did they even pay attention to the blinking red lights on the things. I would have laughed, if it didn't give me away. 

I managed to shove the scientist into the passenger seat, before hopping on myself. They left the keys in the ignition; my day's just getting better and better. 

They eventually noticed me, once the truck got moving. They kept yelling "Stop!" and other things. Once I got a few meters distance between us, I triggered the charges. 

Poor guys went flying. 

The target was ducking in the car, shaking. I just felt good for a job well done. 

***** 

It took only ten minutes for us to reach the destination, but we had to wait ten more because apparently the pilot was keen on taking the scenic route. 

Once the chopper landed, the extraction target ran straight inside. 

_My driving wasn't that bad_

There was some good stuff in the truck, so I asked the pilot to wait for me to load the materials. 

He shook his head before tossing a satchel at my face. 

"Fulton" he mouthed, the helicopter's blades drowning out his voice. 

I nodded, before placing the infamous balloon on the vehicle's hood. The balloon inflated and took the truck in the air, leaving a very confused blonde on the ground. The same one I saw earlier today. 

Her clothes were still just shreds of fabric, but she had picked up a vest from a soldier. Probably from a dead one, judging from the number of red holes in the kevlar. She had my Burkov in hand, empty. 

_Little minx followed me back._

I don't know if I should be impressed or embarrassed. 

Either way, I wasn't going to leave her here to die; she was already halfway there. 

The pilot made a face, though I couldn't see his expression through the helmet and visor. He just shrugged and went back to the control board. 

The scientist already handcuffed himself to a pipe(the same one Alexi was chained to back then). With some effort, I did the same to was the prisoner. 

The pilot finally lifted off, but not before giving us a great view of the place. Slowly, I might add. Pequod would have made a hell of a tour guide, in another life. 

I wasn't sure about those two, but I could really go for a burger right now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos if you found the Halo reference.


	6. A day at Mother Base

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just noticed my story was a little...sparse on details. Here's my attempt to remedy that.
> 
>  
> 
> Guest Staring: 
> 
>  
> 
> The SKULLS Pa-ru-sight Unit

Today was a _great_ day. 

The sun was shining, the staff were smiling. We also got a hell of a job offer last night: two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars pay up front, which could easily turn to three if we aquired the item in pristine condition. 

The item in question was a surface-to-air missile launcher, dubbed "Killer Bee". If what they were telling us was true, that weapon would easily tip the balance of power in our favor. Rival PF's wouldn't dare stage open warfare against us, and any attempts would end abruptly as they begin. 

The problem was, even they didn't know its location. They had entrusted the prototype to the rebels, who's convoy was ambushed. All they knew was that there was a surviver who knew where being held at the mountain relay base. We needed to send our best guy out there. 

We needed Big Boss. 

***** 

Venom was sharing a table with our most recent recruit, Falling Bat. The engineer had a lot to say, but Snake was more than eager to listen. 

"I can even design your prosthetic to accomodate an electroshock weapon." The engineer prattled on, taking a sip of pink soda from his glass. 

"Electroshock...weapon?" Snake repeated. I could practically see the gears turning in his head, trying to figure out what the doctor meant. 

"A tazer, in Layman's terms." The specialist clarified. Snake replied with a curt nod. 

"So... what would you need in order to create such a device?" 

"Firstly, Boss," the man began, "a functional laboratory, along with competent staff to assist me." 

"I can manage that." Big Boss answered. "Go on." 

"Secondly, we need resources. Electricity is a non-issue, due to your usage of hydropower, but for research of most things we need materials. Metals, be them common as iron or precious as gold and platinum, are a necessity for development.You lack arms." 

"No shit, Sherlock." I said, my voice dangerously low. Even Boss was glaring at him. He swallowed nervously. 

"Not-not-not in that way, Sir," He corrected, leaning as far away from us as humanly possible. "Guns, I meant! you lack the means to produce them." 

We simply nodded, both of us still annoyed at his poor choice of words. 

"The sub-commander had been managing this metal islet for about nine years, yet it is just as it was now. Not that it was your fault, Sir." He spoke the last part meekly. "Most of the profit you aquired was spent on resupply costs, the little left over going into your men's paychecks." 

He pushed his glasses up, a gesture that reminded him of a certain traiterous technocrat. Still, he was making a decent point. 

"If we were able to create an assembly line, Diamond Dogs could circumvent the significant deployment cost, only requiring the raw materials to produce the equipment. You could even sell off the surplus goods, making even more profit whilst increasing your reputation amongst rival PMC's." 

It was a good idea. Hell, it was a great idea.

"I'll... think on it." Snake replied, leaving the table."At ease, Iguana." 

Iguana stood up and saluted, before going back to continue his meal. 

He turned to me."What is it, Kaz?" 

"We have a job from your old employers." 

He grimaced, as though the mere thought hurt him. 

But with the things they made him do back then, maybe it did. 

"Just a retrieval operation, Boss. No killing for king and country anymore." I promised. "We left all that crap behind two decades ago." 

"When do I leave?" 

"Pequod is being prepped as we speak." 

"Alright, Kaz. Make sure the stable boys remember to pack D-horse's battle dress." He left the mess hall, soldiers eyeing him as he walked. 

***** 

At this point, all I could do was wander and wait. He'd be back soon enough, and he _would_ come back. Nothing short of a nuke could take that man down (hell, even a nuke failed to do him in a few decades ago).

"Master Miller, good to see you." a voice greeted. 

"Good morning, Echidna." I replied, glancing at her. 

She looked well, albeit tired from working overtime. Rather than the standard alive drab, she was wearing a new design. The square pattern was effective; from the neck down I could barely see her body's silhouette. 

"You need a ride, subcommander?" the latina offered, gesturing to the truck on her right. "I'm on my way to the RnD platform. It's a long way off, and I wouldn't mind the company." 

_Was she flirting? Or just being nice?_

Either way, I didn't have any reason to refuse. Not like I had anywhere else to go. 

"Have you heard about yesterday's Op, commander?" she asked, eager to talk to anyone. 

"Yep.I personally debriefed Wombat for that mission." 

"He had a hell of a story to tell..." She laughed, slowly banking left on the Command platform. "Did he really strap C4 on a guard's ass?" 

I smirked. "Two guards, actually." 

"That crazy SOB... I think I owe him a beer." She glanced backwards to smile at me, before turning back to the bridge. "You've been here for more than a few years... care to share any stories?" 

"Well, there was how I met Big Boss..." 

"Go on, commander." 

"He was even scarier back then, if that were even possible. I was in Japan, training my men, when suddenly you-know-who and his goon squad pick us apart. I almost blew him up, but he was too fast for me." The jeep noticeably slowed down. 

"He wanted me to join him. Back then I was stubborn as a bull." I let out a short laugh. "Still am, if you're gonna go by Boss' opinion. We had a very close, and admittedly weird, competition to see if I could earn my freedom." 

"Like an eating competition?" 

"Yep. We ate fish." 

"That's not too weird..." 

"Raw." 

She shrugged her shoulders 

"At this point, nothing the Boss does surprised me anymore. But still, uncooked fish? Eating that shit gets you all sorts of problems." 

"Putting it simply, he didn't give a damn. Shouted "Serval Viewer" or something, then ate the whole thing." 

"A whole Arowana..." 

I nodded. "In one bite." 

"How do you even...you know what, nevermind. Need to get that image out of my head first."

I laughed, and so did she. 

"We're here commander." She stopped the vehicle. 

"Enjoy the rest of your day." 

I waved my crutch at her. 

"You too, Echidna" 

***** 

I had to admit, I was impressed with Wombat. 

He finished the objective and rescued a POW to boot; thag should help boost our popularity. He didn't kill a single person(he assured me the riot troopers survived the point-blank detonation), and even managed to procure a few cargo trucks for Diamond Dogs usage. It was the kind of report you would only expect to see in Snake's files. 

The prisoner he rescued was still alive, but for the time being that was all we could do for her. Maybe we could get her some help. A psychiatrist, maybe... 

Poor thing looked half-dead, bones jutting out beneath her skin and bruises on her body. She was resting, her breathing ranging from steady to irregular gasping at times. Just sitting nearby, her savior was looking down at her frail frame. He took one glance at me before giving a curt nod. 

"I nearly forgot to congratulate you for a job well done, Gavriil." I handed him a burger. 

"If this is what you do to your enemies," he replied, turning the sandwich around in his hands. "I am curious to how you treat your allies." He kept his eyes on sleeping beauty, taking a bite out of the food. 

He cocked his head slightly, expression curious once his taste buds registered the difference. "Peculiar..." 

"We used goat this time around." 

He turned his gaze toward the person on the bed."Is this what 'Diamond Dogs' does all the time? Just saving prisoners, getting diamonds, and eating 'burgers'?" 

"In a nutshell, yes."

"I wished I had known of you people years ago. I'd have joined in a heartbeat." 

I gave him a thumbs-up with my good hand. 

"How's the girl you rescued doing?" I pointed my crutch at the sleeping figure on the bed. 

"Alive. That's all that matters." 

I smiled. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a bleeding heart, soldier." 

"Bleeding...heart?" He replied, putting a hand on his chest cautiously. God, it was like talking to Snake all over again. 

"Just a figure of speech," I assured him. "Still, you were the last person I'd have expected to rescue POW's." 

"I knew we kept prisoners, but I was unaware of their treatment of them." his fist clenched slowly. "They are not my countrymen anymore, for I no longer have a country." 

"That's...pretty extreme." 

"It was not an undeserved view." Was his short reply. I nodded in agreement. 

"Fair point. What are you planning to do?" 

"Stay and fight. Help you create paradise for people like us." 

I was starting to like his short, Spartan answers. 

"What happened to her?" 

His face went blank, eyes now looking at the grey wall. 

"Bullet to the side, commander. The vest slowed it down, but the round went through. Would have been easy enough to treat, if not for her state when I found her. She is recovering from surgery as we speak, though for how long she will stay this way even the Doktor is unsure." 

"Hope she gets well soon." I told the former Spetsnaz trooper. He gave me a lazy salute, still sitting on the plastic three-legged stool. 

"That makes two of us, commander." 

***** 

I had spotted the sonofabitch himself, Skullface, a few minutes ago. I wished I could have pulled the trigger, ending it then and there. All that stood between us was the barrel of my shotgun. 

Then something grabbed me out of nowhere. 

Whatever it was lifting me up was huge, holding my entire body in its grip. The thing hoisted me upside down, putting the XOF commander uncomfortably close to my face. 

The fedora-wearing man prattled on, speaking about presumably deep topics. Frankly, I didn't listen. I was just staring at the dozens upon dozens of Soviet soldiers being reverted to mindless husks. There was fear in their eyes as they lost control of themselves, one of them even opting for suicide before the mist could turn him. He was probably the luckiest one of all. 

I opened fire on the infected, putting them out of their misery. 

Another one was shambling towards ms, looking very different from the others. Its "eyes" were a supernatural green, glowing brightly evem through the mist. Then it started sprinting towards me, much faster than humanly possible. Then it dissapeared in a thick black cloud." 

It reappeared not a second later behind me, swinging a machete that very nearly took my head off. The second time it tried that, though, I was ready. 

These things were strong, but disarnment depended on technique over strength. It wasn't hard to take the machete from his grip; what was difficult to do was stab the thing with it. 

It was like trying to break through tree bark, but eventually, the blade went through its chest. 

The thing didn't even flinch: it just stood there, trying to rip the blade from its abdomen; didn't even so much as grunt or bleed. 

I fired two point blank shots at its midsection, knocking it down. It stood back up before I even got the second shell in the chamber. 

_Shit_

***** 

"The Boss should have been back half an hour ago..." Miller grumbled, pacing back and forth on the Command Platform's helipad. 

"You know how he is," I offered helpfully, "an explorer, that one. Probably scouring the area for diamonds and stuff as we speak." 

He stopped walking, bracing his crutch on the floor. "Maybe, but something feels off about this." 

"What do you mean?"" I asked, though more for his sake than mine. 

"I don't know exactly..." 

His words were interrupted by radio chatter. Pequod was back, and so was the Boss. 

***** 

The half dozen soldiers waiting for him all saluted at the same time. In spite of that, he clearly wasn't in the mood. He was lugging the launcher on his back, the weapon still in pristine condition. Kaz gave a small smile, knowing that Diamond Dog's would get an extra fifty-thou in their budget. He handed the weapon to a staff member, muttering orders that were hastily followed. 

"How was the mission, Boss?" I asked our horned friend. 

Now that we got a decent look at him, he didn't look so well. Blue liquid stained his outfit, giving of a very strong odor. His prosthetic hand had a whole bunch of new marks on it, some long and shallow, others short and deep like a stab wound. His top was torn, revealing a long, angry scar on his shoulder. 

"It was ok, I guess." He shrugged, before grimacing and rubbing his shoulder. "Damn." 

He went back to the chopper's hold, tossing down a warm body for the brig. No, not a warm body. 

A Skull 

For a one-armed man, Miller was quick on the draw. He already had his pistol out before the thing hit the ground. 

"Relax, Kaz. Its dead." Snake reassured. Miller lowered his gun... 

and emptied the clip in its head. 

"You can never be to careful..." Miller retorted, replacing the spent magazine with a fresh one. 

Couldn't argue with that logic. 

"Boss, you need to go to the medical wing right now. Get your wounds treated." 

He stared at him blankly, jumping down from the helicopter . "It's just a couple scratches, Kaz. I'm good." 

"I'm with Miller on this one. You're no good to us if you're not at your best." 

He grumbled childishly, like a kid being forced to eat his vegetables. Still, he boarded the chopper. 

The Boss' chopper was gone pretty soon. Miller walked towards the mess hall with three soldiers in tow. 

"You joining us for dinner, Ocelot?" Kazuhira offered, stopping in his tracks."We just recieved a shipment of Kobe beef this afternoon." 

"Kobe...Beef?" 

"It's a Japanese delicacy." He clarified the details, probably because of the confused expression on my face. 

"Nothing to exotic, don't worry. Just really good beef." 

He resumed walking. 

"We even have carmelized onions, in case you wanted the authentic...Southern... experience... " 

I followed them, my mouth already watering thinking of the heavenly burgers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personally think this is my best work yet!


	7. Big Boss' Eating Habits[1]

"So... Snake."

"Got something on your mind, Miller?"

"No...just."

"It's alright. You can say it."

"..."

"Were...were the burgers any good?"

"..."

"They... I guess they were.... ok..."

"You didn't like it?"

"No, it's not that."

"What is it then?"

"I just don't have much of a taste for manufactured food."

"What? Even the curry we used to make back in MSF?"

"It was alright but..."

"But...what?"

"You... wouldn't understand..."

"Try me, Snake."

"It doesn't compare to a freshly grilled mouse."

"Grilled...mouse? You'd chose to eat a wild plague-carrying rat over perfectly seasoned Kobe beef?"

"Honestly, yes."

"Why?"

"Remember what I told about Snake Eater?"

"Yeah. You relied on On-Site procur- no way. So that's when you got a taste for wildlife?

"When your just trying to survive, everything tastes delicious."

"Even spiders?"

"It almost did, that one time."

"Seriously though? Its been twenty years, and you're still hooked on that diet?"

"See? I knew you wouldn't understand."

"No! I-I do, Boss."

"I sincerely doubt that, Kaz."

"When you're hungry, everything tastes good."

"That's right, but I know for a fact you never went through that."

"I have, actually. A few days before you ambushed my men, our rations went bad: they weren't canned properly. We had to scrap by enough to last a week."

"Go on, Kaz..."

"By the second day, we had to scavenge the vegetation. You know what Kyoho is?

"Sounds like a fruit."

"That's because it is. Your 'plums' are similar to it."

"Aaaah..."

"We managed to get a few handfuls of them. Maybe enough to keep us from starving, but definetly not enough to feed a twelve-man team. So me and two of the soldiers went to a nearby river to try our luck."

"And..."

"We weren't so lucky for a bit. About half a dozen of Arowana, small ones at that. It wasn't much, but it was something."

"..."

"We made it through the night though. Looking back, I can still taste the Arowana I caught."

"How was it?"

"Salty. A little overcooked."

"..."

"Remember what I told you about that sniper before?"

"I remember you telling me about a parrot, Boss."

"That was a funny story... did I tell you about it yet?"

"As far back as I can remember, no."

"Ok, so here I was, fighting the End in Sokrovennov. For a sniper, he wasn't keen on killing people. Instead, he tried to knock me out with tranqs from an old rifle."

"What gun was he using?"

"A Mosin-Nagant. I know, right. The gun was older than me. Didn't mean it wasn't a good gun. It was plenty good against anything breathing. So there I was, pulling darts out of my body like a sentient pincushion. I was so tired, and half starved from fighting so long."

"Then..."

"Then I got lucky. Out of now where this _Huge_ green bird just flies up a tree next to me. It was as big as a chicken, and it probably tasted the same. 

"How was it?" 

"Pretty tasty, but a little tough to chew. Anyway, turns out the bird was his spotter, and that little guy was the reason why he always seemed to see me first."

"I'm guessing he didn't take it lying down..."

"No he did not. Check this out. Right there."

"..."

"I have two more scars just like it."

"What are you talking about?" 

"He switched to bullets after that; don't you see it?" 

"No... your 'wound' is smooth." 

"..." 

"..." 

"Huh...guess so. Weird." 

"You alright Boss?" 

"..." 

"..." 

"Yeah... I'm fine." 


End file.
